Session+8+ISA+14

(see the list of all sessions at http://isarc10internetforum.wikispaces.com/ISA+2014 )

Wednesday, July 16, 2014: 08:30 AM - 10:20 AM, Yokohama, Booth 65
Session Organizer and Chair Yamada SHUJI Bunkyo University Japan **Email:** yamashu@shonan.bunkyo.ac.jp -- Will not be published Session Organizer (and Chair) Eun-Jin LEE Kyungnam University 448 Wolyeong-Dong Masan-Happo Gu Department of Sociology Changwon City, Gyeongnam, 631-701 South Korea **Phone Number:** +82-55-249-2172 **Fax Number:** +82-505-999-2138 **Email:** ejlee@kyungnam.ac.kr -- Will not be published

Format: Oral Is this an invited session?: N Language: English Research Committee: RC10 Participation, Organizational Democracy and Self-Management (host committee)**.** Abstract id# 44172 On the Workers'conference Democratic Participation Problem
 * Songjiang WU** and **Liqing LI**, Hunan Agriculture University, China

Abstract Text: The Workers’ Conference，as a democratic reflection of the non-state form ,bore the responsibility of embodying and strengthening that exact demand in China. This article classified the practices of Workers’ Conference into four different stages by analyzing its practical changes in company A, a state-owned enterprise ,stretching the years between 1949 and 2010 ,i.e.. and the results showed as bellow: the Workers’ Conference were holding at a lower frequency ,in a shorter term and the structure of the organization itself was simplifying ,the proportion of average workers among the worker representatives was declining ,and so on. According to the viewpoint of new institutionalism in organizational sociology ,one particular organization is exposed to pressure from both the mechanism of legitimacy and efficiency at the same time,furthermore,this kind of pressure is constantly changing. We believe that the changes in the Workers’ Conference in enterprises resulted from the combined action of multi institutional logic ,which includes the governance legitimacy logic of the country ,the intrinsic behavior logic in the administration of the company and the rights and interests demand logic of the staff members. In this process, The governance legitimacy logic is embedded into the enterprises .The pressure of legitimacy has stressed enterprise administration to certain degree with this mechanism along with the ever-changing relationships between the government and enterprises .If the administration plays in line with the mechanism of governance legitimacy ,the enterprise would put Workers’ Conference into practice and as a result ,this system would remain active and promote the initiative of staff members to be involved ,which would help secure workers demands for their rights and interests .While on the contrary ,the enterprise would stay in limited dynamic and correspondingly ,the degree to which workers’ demands are satisfied stands at a low level. Abstract id# 52058 The Employment Relations in the Changing Circumstances of Korean Labor Market
 * Hyung Je JO**, Department of Sociology, University of Ulsan, Ulsan Metropolitan City, South Korea

Abstract Text: This study aims to explain the employment relations in the changing circumstacnes of Korean labor market, focusing on the automobile industry. As globalization has developed, the segmentation between the regular workers and the non-regular workers in the labor market has deepened. The wage level of the non-regular workers is about 60-70% of the regular workers, while they engage in the same kind of job within a work organization. The labor movement of the non-regular workers to improve their working conditions has intensified, reflecting the serious situation in the labor market. This study analyzes the dynamics of labor movement of the non-regular workers, based on the segmented labor market in the Korea automobile industry. After then, we will try to present an alternative option to the present situation of the segmented labor market.

Abstract id# 68145 Can the Industrial Relations in Japan be Reconstructed in the Long-Term Perspective?
 * Jongwon WOO**, Faculty of Economics, Saitama University, Saitama, Japan

Abstract Text: More than ten years have already passed since it was first proposed that Japan’s corporate management and labor relations should be reformed to keep pace with globalization. After the financial crisis of 1997, especially, corporate governance changed, and management began to shift emphasis to short term rather than long term profits and shareholders’ rather than employees’ concerns. In addition to the general reduction in labor costs, replacement of regular employees with non-permanent employees rapidly proceeded. The wage system became more performance-based as well in accordance with emerging HR policies that sought the immediate competence of employees. However, some scholars argue that, in the long term, such changes in business strategy and HR policy have negatively affected Japanese industries’ productivity and quality. Moreover, Japan’s industrial relations have been affected as well. Labor unions have failed to cope with problems such as wage reductions, growing numbers of non-regular workers, and the decrease of collective bargaining power. These problems exist against a backdrop of increasing wealth disparity. This paper aims to elucidate the possibility whether the Japan’s industrial relations could be reconstructed or not in the long-term perspective, focusing on the mechanisms by which globalization and changes in corporate governance are influencing industrial relations at the micro level.

//Associations as Quasi-Public Bodies in Japan: Cases of Maintenance and Management of Public Lands// - paper transferred from session 7: New forms of democracy on Tuesday, July 15, 2014: 05:30 PM - 07:20 PM, Yokohama, Booth 65 Abstract Text: This research focuses on associations to be quasi-public bodies to maintain and manage public lands in Japan. Public lands are generally maintained and managed by governments because the governments have owned them. However, the governments often lease their public lands which are used especially as community farming and growing to associations after they made lease agreements in the USA and the UK. In these cases, associations can show their ideas to maintain and manage the public lands. On the other hands, the governments had only maintained and managed the public lands in Japan. Therefore, associations had not had chances to show their idea to manage and maintain the public lands. However, the Office of Nerima Ward of Tokyo enacted the Ordinance for Liveable Development in 2002. The ordinance has the definition of the community engagement on the public lands. In the Nerima Ward, associations can suggest their idea to manage and maintain public lands to the ward office. Moreover, the ward office authorises the associations as the bodies to manage and maintain the public lands. There is one case authorized by the ward office at present. In this case, there is a finding that the associations are needed to get approval from neighbouring landlords and users to be authorised by the ward office. This is considered that the associations are not just "Not for Profit Organizations" but "quasi-public bodies". This research suggests a question why the ward office should authorise associations as the bodies to maintain and manage the public land in the Nerima Ward of Tokyo, though local governments make lease agreements with associations in the USA and the UK. Through to resolve this question, this research will clarify the meaning of the association which maintain and manage public lands and the public matter on the Japanese context.
 * Takahiro DOMEN** , Graduate school of social sciences, Hitotsubashi University, Kunitachi, Japan

Abstract id# 52218 Paper withdrawn - transferred to session 1 Facing an Unequal World: Challenges for Global Sociology and Participation, Monday, July 14, 2014: 10:30 AM - 12:20 PM, Yokohama, Booth 65 Japanese Challenges Towards the Sustainable Society -- the Recovering Process from the Earthquake and Tsunami, and Establishing New Industrial Relations --
 * Shuji YAMADA**, Bunkyo University, Japan

Abstract Text: After the serious earthquakes and tsunami in 2011, Japanese society, mostly in Tohoku area, had been damaged horribly and the accidents of Fukushima nuclear power plant are still on-going. Japanese central government had established “Reconstruction Agency (http://www.reconstruction.go.jp/english/)” for reacting to them. The task is “leading and managing the reconstruction process”, and the role is “to accelerate structural reconstruction and revitalization in the affected areas, by supporting implementation of government policies and managing coordination of reconstruction strategy and initiatives between various branches of government at a national level and with local municipalities”. However, the reconstruction process is not sufficient for the local communities. Following this situation, at a municipality and a community level, we could consider two distinctive changes as hints for new Japanese working features. This presentation tries to examine whether these changes will shed their skin and become new industrial relations or conditions. The first case would be an excellent collaboration between fishermen and NPOs in Iwate prefecture. Traditionally, the cleavage between fishermen and leisure divers was deep, because of their miscommunication. Currently, a NPO is proposing a cooperation aiming at recovering the sea both for fishery and diving. Through the collaborative works, fishermen have gradually presented their positive attitudes to divers and both of them have been able to understand each philosophy of work. The second case would be a citizens’ participation toward local administrations. For the aim at reconstructing a community, most of all municipalities are requesting citizens’ participation to set their future plan. In this case, the working style of municipality’s staff had changed to deliberative and negotiating process. Under this pressure, the staffs of municipality office have been forced to think how they can work with citizens and how they can realize the policies through deliberations.